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Karma Wins - Week one. The first thousand miles.



Carol and Barry have made us feel so welcome on Karma Wins and she already feels like a home. There were quite a few jobs to do on Karma Wins so Per set about the batteries, solars and wind generator to see why they weren’t charging very well. Later we walked up to the market and bought some fruit and veg. There is always some confusion between bananas and plantains which are only edible once they are almost totally black and then they have to be cooked.

Back on Karma Wins it was hot so I was went in for a swim and a hull cleaning session but had to get out quick because today we had blue jellyfish around. Being on the boat is great, always some activity, seabirds fishing, rays, sharks, turtles, iguanas and sea lions all floating quietly around. I can sit for hours watching them. The iguanas tuck their legs in and wiggle along like snakes in the water. The turtles seem to be in a world of their own just bobbing about and occasionally putting their heads up to see what is happening. The sea lions are often looking for a boat, preferable a catamaran to board or fishing along with the sharks.

Per and I had a quick walk out to Tortuga bay, a long sandy beach where the turtles lay their eggs. We then visited the Darwin Centre; we could have spent hours there but ran out of time. There were some yellow land iguanas and another tortoise breeding scheme and a memorial to Lonesome George, the ancient tortoise who died a few years ago. In the evening Per had to get the water taxi over to Allegro to check Luis and Manuela’s electrics. The electrician had left lose wires etc.

Now we are at sea. All the departure clearances was done in the Rock Bar where the immigration officers set up. The race started at midday but we left an hour and half late as a man came out to try to sort out the freezer and we had to say sad goodbyes to Carol. Fortunately she was wearing pink so we could see her on the dock as we left, lots of waving. Once out of the bay we set the main, then out with the genoa and we sailed away. We had good winds and did 10 knots, catching up and even overtaking a couple of the other boats. There was something weird with the tracking as it looks like we did a triangle at 26 knots on Barry’s computer. We had a comfortable night, Barry took the 9-12pm, Per 12-3am and me 3-6+ am. The rest of the day is informal shifts so whoever is up and about.

The freezer packed up completely but we have managed to salvage most of the meat…hopefully! The fish had a feast on unsalvagable defrosted veg, fish and chicken. Barry wanted to fish but if we caught one we have nowhere to store it. Having said that and emptied it, the freezer has decided to work today! (only for a few hours) There have been some flying fish and a few jumping large fish.

Today we have had to head south, rather than south-westish and we have very choppy seas and squalls. I did some washing this morning: put it all in a large bucket with soap and water and let the movement of the boat do the rest but I should have waited til now as it would be a really good wash. I left the peeled potatoes in the saucepan in the sink and unfortunately the washing up liquid did a nose-dive, after one big wave, into the potatoes. I rinsed them and there was no complaint about soapy mashed spuds. I seem to have a battle with Dawn, the washing up liquid, as it is making a habit of diving into the saucepans in the sink; I have to put them there as the galley is tiny and nowhere to wedge pots etc. Mind you I don’t think anyone will complain about anyone’s cooking in these conditions as they will have to do it themselves and Dawn does advertise itself as “helping to save wildlife”, eco-friendly for the Galapagos supplied by the ARC. Hopefully the sea will soon settle down and we can turn west and head for the Marquesas.

Just after finishing writing that we had to rush to get the main down as the sky was very black on the horizon and night was approaching. Barry had made a great stew which did us for 2 nights and the boys had the left overs on toast for breakfast. Per noticed that one of the supports for the back, which has the main back runner on it, was loose. It explains why the pilot seat seemed to move , it is all connected. Barry tried drilling a hole in it but it is too hard so he put another rivet in the existing hole and hopefully it will hold. Just at the end of my Saturday morning shift I had to wake Barry as it looked like a huge squall and we got soaked putting down all the rest of the canopies on the patio…at least they are getting a good wash. We have also filled 3 ½ containers with rainwater from the roof. We are still in heavy seas, waves from all angles….so much for the Pacific Ocean! Poor Karma Wins is getting waves banging up against her, the crew are fed up of being thrown around and deafened by the banging waves. Barry has taken to sleeping on the patio. We’ve had a few lovely seabirds, white with black etching on wings and grey in the middle and the little sea swallows.

Saturday night we had squalls with winds gusting up to 30 knots and the seas are just messy but the current is more with us. I cooked sausages (de-frosted and re-frozen at least 3 times!), cabbage and carrots and rice (mushy not up to Per’s standard). It was a struggle as none of the pan lids fit the pans so they all had to be held on (one needs to be an octopus) but the rice lid went flying across the saloon and landed at Barry’s feet, leaving a trail of rice. Barry then suggested butter on his cabbage! The fridge is across the other side of the saloon and you need 3 hands there, 1 to hold on, 1 to open the door and the third to catch everything as it flies out the door! It started pouring with rain just as supper was ready so bowls, ketchup and cutlery were sliding all over the table.

Barry reefed the genoa on his watch and we are doing anything from 6-8 knots in winds 15-23; but still bouncing around on the choppy seas. Not at all pleasant. Afar was with us most of the night but has now probably gone south again. Per has tightened the rudders and auto-pilot in both engine rooms. We are all a bit fed up of the weather, just cloudy with squalls. The ARC weather forecast has just come in and it is not good as we are going to have the same, maybe stronger winds for the next 36 hours. Last night we had a squid land on deck so we have fishing bait but none of us feel like fishing in these conditions. The only plus of all these shitty conditions is that the boat looks much cleaner and the genoa is almost white again.

Afar VI have been closest to us and Barry called them on the radio. They are sailing with the main as a shackle broke and the genoa halyard is up the mast so John is going to have to retrieve it when the seas settle. Barry thought it a good idea if we helped them…he didn’t understand the practicalities of launching the dinghy etc!!! Sausages for supper and no food poisoning. Barry used an over-ripe banana and made a delicious banana cake (from a packet) in the bread maker. Weather forecast still pretty much the same so we were a bit despondent as it is so tiring and not pleasant sailing but then we decided at least we have wind and are heading in the right direction.

Monday morning. We had a quiet night a few squalls but not much rain and winds only 8-11 knots so sailing 5-6 knots but the seas are a bit calmer. Had to wake poor Per so we could put the main up about 7.30 am and now we are doing 9-10 knots. I made them bacon and eggie bread for breakfast as neither of them had had it before. Decided to soak the main halyard in fresh water as it is horribly stiff. Big discussion which water to use so compromised and used a container of rainwater and another of watermaker water! We also found another squid on deck so really ought to try fishing! Per and I had a morning snooze and woke to the great smell of another banana cake; Barry had used up all 3 of the over-ripe bananas so it should be really gooey.

Per set up the fishing line but we didn’t have much success although a tropicbird with the lovely long white tail flew over it a few times. The wind instrument has gone wrong, saying the wind is now from the north. We still have south-easterlies fluctuating. Chicken casserole for supper, should be ok if the chicken is boiled for a long time. As usual squalls started as the light went but not much rain and we avoided them by heading more south. The wind died for a while so we motored and topped up the batteries briefly. Per tried to sort out Barry’s email so we can send out a blog…I went to bed. They reefed the genoa for the night. Barry was at the computer on his shift and heard something drop. Carol is safely home in Sydney and hopefully catching up on sleep. Per had to get up and help as it was the nuts on the bolts that hold the boom on the mast…quite important!! I had a calm watch, seas building up a bit from squalls that passed us and wind 8-11 knots so we were doing 6-8 knots but the current is still not with us.

Barry woke up as the wind picked up and big rain clouds went east of us. We unfurled the genoa and now we are doing 8-12 knots in winds up to 27 knots. It is cloudy, grey and some big rain clouds around but none have hit us yet. Per is having a good sleep. He needs it as he didn’t get much before his 3 am watch. We had strong winds today, up to 30 knots and Karma Wins has been flying touching 16 knots occasionally. Barry set up the pipe to collect rainwater straight into the tank so that has stopped the rain..

Wednesday, Day 7. The sun is out we are sailing at around 10 knots and surfing on the swell. There were 4 large flying fish and a squid on deck this morning so I de-scaled, gutted and cooked the fish (not the squid). Delicious straight out of the pan but Per and Barry declined. Barry had to mend the support again, his rivet had held at the bottom but the bolt at the top had snapped. The moon has been quite bright, despite the clouds, so no phosphorescence but sometimes the flying fish are lit up by the green navigation light on the bow as they fly out of the water. We have done 235 miles today which is a record and now only have another ~1900 or so to go. Morale is good and the crew are perfecting the catamaran caper: walking with feet splayed for balance, knees bent and every now and then a little hop to realign the legs. The movement on a cat is so different from a mono-hull!

All the best

Chrissy White

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